Georgia in Play: Waffle House workers on strike, local election watch, and Dawgs in a Shark Tank

Highlights from the show:

Do you WFH? Will you RTO? Or are you hybrid?

Three years since the COVID-19 pandemic normalized the idea of working from home, employers and employees are still figuring out what the future of workplaces will look like. Stacie Haller performed a study of companies to figure out who's going back to the office, how often, and why.

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Waffle House workers in South Carolina walked out of work on strike July 8, 2023. Now Waffle House employees in Georgia are also demanding better working conditions.

Credit: Union of Southern Service Workers

Waffle House employees demand safer work conditions and better compensation

While you're ordering your hash browns scattered, smothered and covered, some Waffle House employees in Georgia are demanding better security, more scheduled time, and better compensation. GPB's Amanda Andrews followed the labor action and told us more about their demands.

Get ready for Election Night 2023!

While the next presidential election is a year away, do you know who's up for election on your local school board? Or if there's a new SPLOST measure on the ballot? Mercer University's Chris Grant joins the show to emphasize the importance of voting in local elections.

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Bibb County Schools students attend a fair while Superintendent Dan Sims (background) speaks at the first of half a dozen after-school fairs held to promote school attendance.

Credit: Grant Blankenship / GPB News

Despite the return to the classroom, kids are still missing school

Georgia's children have largely ended remote learning, returning to the classroom in person. Despite the move, more children are missing in action. GPB's Grant Blankenship reported on the disturbing trend, with Atlanta seeing some of the worst of absenteeism.

Abolitionist education through podcasting

Anthony Downer is the City Schools of Decatur's Equity Coordinator, but he wears other hats too. He's an abolitionist, a son of Gwinnett County, and a podcaster. His podcast, Dat Way, is part of his larger campaign, called "Literacy is Liberation," meant to combat book bans on topics like race and LGBTQ+ issues.

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Kristen Dunning, founder of Gently Soap.

Credit: The University of Georgia

A Dawg in the Shark Tank

A self-described "eczema warrior," University of Georgia MBA student Kristen Dunning took a dive on ABC's Shark Tank to secure a deal for her soap brand, Gently Soap. She comes from generations of Black horticulturists in Georgia, and used her knowledge from her degree in the same field to start a company that addresses her own needs. After her appearance, she's having a hard time keeping her soap line stocked.